Shahjahanpur Police on Tuesday said they shot dead a 25-year-old Muslim man as he allegedly tried to escape on the way to court in the Katra area of the city.
“After the medical examination, a police team was taking Shehbaz to court. The vehicle slowed down at Batlaiya village after stray animals came on the road. In the meantime, Shehbaz snatched the service pistol of a sub-inspector and jumped from the vehicle,” Superintendent of Police (Shahjahanpur) Ashok Kumar Meena said to reporters.
“Shehbaz fired on the police team and ran towards the field. Upon getting information about the incident, an additional police team rushed to the spot. On seeing the police team, Shehbaz opened fire. In retaliation, police also fired in which Shehbaz got injured. He was rushed to hospital where doctors declared him dead,” he added.
Shehbaz is murder accused, said the police. He was arrested earlier in the day for allegedly stabbing to death a 35-year-old professor and injuring his family members during a robbery bid.
The Uttar Pradesh Police has faced criticism from human rights activists and opposition parties due to allegations of extrajudicial killings since Yogi Adityanath assumed office. A significant portion of those affected by these incidents belongs to the Muslim, Dalit, and Other Backward Castes communities.
